So, what you asked me is what you need to do, and if everything's what you're saying is true. >> about kidnapping that they're out of state with in-laws who have no rights to the kids? I'm getting really pissed off right now that you're not listening to me and you're just talking over me. A bitter custody war, a mother pounding on the door, papers in her hand, and police caught in the middle. But, this wasn't just any custody fight. This family feud ties into an attempted shooting, FBI investigations, and a lawsuit [music] worth millions. Hello. Hi, did my son call you? Uh somebody called. Give us his name. About that custody? Uh it was regarding female trespassing. She's not supposed to be here. >> She's left. Okay, where she go? Okay. Shh. Stop. So, is my my son and daughter in law Well, they're trying to get divorced. Um somebody tried to kill me. On October 2nd, he we called the police a couple weeks ago and reported it. I think we know his name. Um She hasn't known where they were. This is where it began. Melanie showed up at her ex-in-laws' door. No threats yet, just tears, yelling, and unanswered questions. Uh how long has she known you guys lived here? She's been >> We've been here We've lived here 17 years. They've been married for 11. Did she get upset? Did she try to force her way >> crying. >> inside or something? She was crying. And I told her I didn't feel threatened or anything like that. >> Well, well, I told her I'd talk to her through the door, but I didn't want her to know kids were here. So, when the one of the grandkids came down, I closed the door, and then I could hear her just yelling, and I think my son was talking through to her through the Ring doorbell. And she was just yelling yelling and kept ringing the doorbell trying to get me to come out to the door, and I come back. She didn't try to open up the door or >> I don't know if she did or not. Do you know what she was yelling at? Was it like an angry yelling or just yeah? But you can I went I went upstairs with the kids. I took them back up to the bedroom where they were playing in and ignored the kids ringing the doorbell again. They're like, "Someone's at the door." And I just said, "No." Cuz I don't want them to see their mom. Okay. Um you guys don't have like a protective order in place or anything or she's not allowed to come over here. Has she been officially trespassed from this place by a police officer or You know what? My son and husband talked to the police the last um I was a week ago Friday. Um when we were afraid they were going to come through here and try to get the kids. Okay. So he did call on the advice of his police detective in Arizona to talk to Okay. So I don't He's on his way here. Yeah. I'm going to have to talk to him. Okay. Um you don't have a phone number for her by chance, do you? You know what? I don't know if she has the same phone number that I I have a phone number. I just don't know if it's the same one. That's all right. Does he have one? A better one than he does? Okay, we'll talk to him and grab it from him. He's my taxi. He went He was just going to the DMV. Okay. No problem. Uh did you get her information? >> I haven't yet. It's Teresa. So she doesn't live here. She lives in Idaho supposedly. She was in They both live in Arizona. And so after he got shot at and her she said she was moving to Idaho and he took the kids and the advice was to go hide because if she takes them she can't get them back. Cuz they they had they had mediated. They thought their divorce was final. And the mediator didn't submit the papers. And so then when she said she was moving he could have full custody. He went to his attorney. He found out they were not divorced and there was no custody agreement in place. Okay. So she's still trying to use the old custody agreement that never went It was never filed. Okay. And at the time they did have joint custody and had worked all that out. But they were both going to live within 15 minutes of the school the kids were going to. Yeah. Okay. So, you're just looking You don't want her back on the property, I assume. So, we can officially trespass her, so that way if she does come back, we can Mhm. remove her from the property or arrest her or do whatever. So. And I don't know where her car was cuz I didn't see a car, which she came through the door. Yeah, we came through the area. I guess it was like a white uh Kia Telluride? Does that sound familiar? >> Something like that. So. That's That's what he said is the newest car she has. Oh, okay. Well, yeah, we were looking through here. >> him. Oh, that's him. Perfect. Yeah, we can put some extra patrols up here. We can have our some of our other officers just keep extra patrolling here. If she does come back, give us a call as soon as possible, so we can come up here, talk to her, but uh Okay. So, so what happened from your side of the story? What's going on? I I I need to get a My mom tried to register my car, but she didn't drive it down there, so I had to go there because it was an out-of-state vehicle. I can't register my car in my name right now cuz I don't have anything that ties me to here, which didn't do me good, but um so, I was down there trying to get my car registered. I saw on my doorbell camera that it was her. My mom's not tied into my doorbell camera, so she didn't know, so she answered the door. And I don't know. I don't watch that part of the conversation, but as soon as I realized it was her, I got on the camera and told her she needed to leave. It's private property. She's not allowed here. Um and I have it recorded, but it's about a 6-minute conversation. I just kept asking her to leave, telling her she's not allowed here, telling her she needs to leave or we're going to call the police. Finally, she left. So, that's the abbreviated version. Um were you able to see what vehicle she was in or I think the camera probably got it cuz she had to unless she parked this way and never drove past it all. Okay. Cuz my camera records I pay for the feed to have it record after the shooting. Okay. Um so um I can definitely turn that in, but she drives a a Kia Telluride. >> So >> Kia Telluride. Brandon enters the scene and drops a bombshell. He claims Melanie's uncle, Alex Cox, was behind October 2nd shooting that left a bullet hole in his Tesla. Police had already flagged both Alex and Melanie as persons of interest. Melanie reached out after the shooting, then went radio silent. Actions speak, and hers seemed orchestrated or worse, oblivious. Suddenly, this is no longer just about custody. It's about survival. >> The last time I saw she did that when she was leaving Arizona her and her uncle is the one that I I believe shot at me. We're not supposed to talk about, but they went and took the license plate off of her car and started driving my friends out of his and they forced their way into one of the houses. Okay. Um so I just didn't feel comfortable coming back home knowing she was here, thinking he was here. That's why I called you guys. Like I don't feel like I can even drive up without I don't have my gun on me. I left it inside. I thought I was okay. Stupid. All right. So um >> know what she was driving that, but on the uh on the Ring doorbell, did she threaten you in any way? Did she threaten to like do anything? Did she or No, there's nothing you guys are going to be able to do because she's very careful. She I mean she she did say that she thinks I shot at myself, which told me the detective she's been spreading over and over, which obviously they have a lot of evidence that that's not true, but yeah. Um anyways >> I'm just starting Yeah, just about this situation. If she said anything down the Ring like, "Hey, I'm >> listen to it. I I was I was really heightened, so I wasn't No, that's okay. Um Yeah, we can search the area. We can throw some extra patrols up here, make sure that she's not hanging around or um you know, coming back here. If you guys do see anything, you can call us right away and we can be up here in a few minutes and talk to her. So Um also, we need a Do you have like a good contact number? Yeah, okay. Will you call the detective before you talk to her? Okay. All right, like I said we'll we'll actually patrol this a little more. If you see anything suspicious or anything like that, don't hesitate to give us a call so we can come up here and see what's going on. If she does come here, call us. If you know where she's at, call us. We'll talk to your detective, see what's going on, but then we need to contact her and say hey you're officially trespassed from this residence. So, if you do come back here you can't you'll get arrested or removed or whatever and then we can go from there, okay? Okay. Appreciate it. Let me Give me just 1 second. I'm going to grab you a case number that way you have something to reference for any future follow-up should they come up. But I'll get that. I'll leave you with this. It's got contact phone number. It's got my name and I can come up here for follow-up. Okay. Thanks, guys. Yep. On November 14th, the affidavit stated they responded to Boutros' parents' home [music] after a 911 call of a trespassing in progress. Police reported that they found Palowski exiting the home's garage and began to talk to her about why she wasn't allowed on the property. What are you doing here? I have a legal mediation agreement. My kids have been held out of state. You were also criminally trespassed over the phone by me. You are you were warned. >> an officer to come here last night to do a check-in because I'm worried they're in danger. But you came over here after being told that you were criminally trespassed from this residence, correct? >> my order says that it's my time with my kids and they're supposed to be in Arizona. My husband's kept them out of You were trespassed from this location. I just need my kids and >> No. You're welcome to look at this order. They've been out of state, out of school and my husband's lied to everybody. I'm sure he lied to the cop last night. We've been >> So this is my We've been in contact with >> have a victim's advocate I can speak to in the police department, please? Okay. So where'd you get this order from? So this is our um mediation order. Okay. >> have another copy of the original um copy of the court. Um this is my time with the kids. My husband's been hiding with them over a month out of state. >> talked to you the other day, right? >> Yes. So I asked for somebody to come in and check in on them just make sure they're safe because my husband will or my ex-husband will not talk to me. So we told you they were safe yesterday, right? On the phone. We said we saw the kids. >> supposed to be in my custody right now. No, they're not. Yeah, they are. There's no >> Okay. Hey. Hey. Right now we're working through something else, okay? Uh yeah, if you just want to step inside, we'll come talk to you in a moment, okay? He said he had a protection order against him and there was nothing I've never never been served with it. So He's a liar to everybody. So what what were you wanting to happen tonight coming over here? Were you kind of try to take the kids away from her or what's going on? No, I'm not taking I'm just trying to show that I was going to bring this copy to them and say this is my time with the kids. Melanie insists she has [music] custody papers. Police calmly explain mediation agreements are not court orders. [music] Without a judge's signature, she has no enforceable right, but she won't back down. >> [music] >> This exchange is custody law versus desperation and it shows how quickly a parent's love can cross into criminal trespass. They're nice My in-laws are nice people, but they've been lying to me saying that there's a protection order in place and there isn't. My kids are I'm worried they're in danger cuz I'm I'm My husband's been doing a lot of things that caused me to worry. Um he says he was shot at a month ago. Um and then he went into hiding and no one in Arizona has seen him for weeks or my children and he kept them out for over a month with two or three absences. I asked an officer to just come over here last night to just make sure they're safe. And he said, "I can't do a a welfare check or a wellness check." So, did you not hear me when I I I I was talking We were talking to you on the phone the other day and said we came here because you were here. We came here. We checked on the kids. They were okay. >> or the day before. Yeah, the day before. So, and I had to call in cuz I didn't know if that was I just heard something on speaker. I didn't hear everything. I heard that if I it wasn't super clear. And so, I called in the next day and I said, "Can you cuz I don't want to have to go over there again. Can you send an officer to come check in?" >> over here anyways when we told you that you were trespassed from the It doesn't matter, right? >> children are inside. I understand that. They're probably in danger. They're They're probably in danger. You know that for sure, like Well, I know what my ex is capable of and he sent He has a lot of evil people working with him. So, I just I just wanted to make sure my kids were safe last night. And the officer >> So, so do you think this was the right Okay. I'm just But you're you were trespassed, correct? Do you remember that on the phone? I I I asked you if you understood. You said you did. Okay. So, you understand you're trespassed, right? Yes, but I believe with my order I can come and just get my I'm not going in. No. I'm not going in so the house is coming in. Trespassed from the property. You being on the lawn right now is a violation of that trespass. Well, I can get off. Well, it doesn't really matter now. I'm I'm not trying to barge in the house to run and take my I'm just trying to be peacefully trying to do what's right and what's in my order. Melanie escalates accusing Brandon of kidnapping, [music] drug abuse, and hiding the children. But detectives, citing Arizona and Utah law, hold their ground. It's a civil matter. In reality, Brandon wasn't hiding. Court filings confirm he never concealed his address and even the police detective in Gilbert, Arizona backed him up. Is this a order from Arizona? Is your order in there? >> illegally out of state right now. Like they he's keeping them out of school for over a month. I've been searching for them. I don't know what else to do. I asked someone to just come over and see if they're safe last night. >> And they Carlson probably scared him off saying there's a protection order and there's no protection order. We can go and look everything up right now. Okay. I haven't seen or talked to my kids. I have a 2-year-old, 4-year-old, a 6-year-old, and a 9-year-old, and they haven't seen their mom for over and I my husband's been doing drugs and he's >> Well, this is probably not the best way to go about it, right? To come here and try to >> asking you but also can just make sure >> that and we told you they were safe, right? >> mean I have this court order saying it's my time with the kids if I know where they're at I can go and get them. >> No. So so you can't come over here and forcefully take them. Uh and we can't come over here and forcefully take them out. >> I know they've been lied to saying there's a protection order. >> that's something that you're going to have to take up with the courts, right? Like we told you the other day, you're going to have to go to the court. >> know if they're safe and I feel like they're in danger. >> We can go in there and check and see if they're safe. If And then we can come back here and we can tell you they're safe. Stop talking. Stop talking, okay? We can go in there, check if they're safe, but we already trespassed you from this property saying you can't come back here. And you you came back here. And it doesn't matter if you got this piece of paper. We told you not to come back here and you come back here and you're upsetting everybody and now it's just a whole freaking problem. So your whole thing is here is you you want to come here and check if they're safe. You want a welfare check on them. Yes. Yeah. Well, and it's my time with them. >> Yeah, so that's another problem, right? So this is a whole this is a whole civil problem. This is a whole thing, okay? Cuz even if you do come here with these papers and say, "Yep, it's my time. They're not giving them back to me." then the only thing you got to do is go to the courts and you got to say, "Hey, listen. If they these are signed by a judge down there in the court or whatever, he can say, "You know what? This is your time. Let's get this back in court. Let's have him come back to court. Let's do this, then we can give you a report number and we can stop talking. Stop talking, okay? I'm explaining some things, okay? Are you understanding what I'm saying? Yes, sir. So, this isn't the This isn't the best way to go about things. Yes, sir. You can bring up everything to the judge. You think he's doing drugs, that he's been getting shot at, that it's not a safe environment for your kids. So, what you can't do is come to a place where you've been trespassed. Yes, sir. I just brought with my order, then I can just It's okay. Thank you. So, now there's a bigger problem here cuz we trespassed you and you weren't supposed to be on here and you're causing alarm to him and everything like that. Who's your judge down there? You don't know your judge? Who signed your papers? Where'd you You didn't get these papers from? They were mailed to me. Do you live in Arizona? Yes, sir. Was this done in mediation or in court? Because I don't see anything that >> I don't see anything signed by a judge. I have the the copy with more signatures. Do you want to see that? This was just for that. I was just bringing them to them cuz I know they've been locked This is a mediated settlement agreement, not a court order. >> Yes, the court mediation was Well, if it was done through mediation, it's not through the court. That just means that you guys sat down with the mediator, you agreed on something. This is not something that's been enforced by a judge. >> sir. I have the paperwork in the car. >> So, you guys went to court, you sat there with the judge, judge made a determination. Let's grab that real quick so I can see what kind of judge that is. I have the >> Yeah. Is there a way for him to check like with a picture or something just to make sure it isn't stuff? What? You don't believe us that we can go in there and check their well-being or what? >> no, sir. I just they have tons of cousins over probably and I just want to make sure it isn't my kids. We'll make sure. We're not here to lie to you or just make sure that your kids are not being taken care of. That's a huge deal to us, right? >> lying to me. I just want to make sure >> Kids are Yeah, in the state of Utah kids are a big deal. So like we take that thing seriously. So if we're there to check out the kids' well-being, we're going to do that. We're not just going to tell you something that's not true, all right? Where'd you park? In the street right here. But under Utah trespass law, once someone has been officially warned not to enter a property, any return is criminal trespass, no matter what paperwork they claim to have. Mediation agreements, unlike court orders, aren't enforceable by police. So I need to >> So what you asked me is what you need to do, and if everything's what you're saying is true >> that they're out of state with no parental rights to the kids? I'm getting really pissed off right now that you're not listening to me and you're just talking over me. That is just really pissing me off. Do you want to listen to what I have to say or do you want to just go your separate way and then we can just deal with you another day, I guess. Sorry, I'm not trying to be disrespectful. I'm just trying to understand it. I haven't seen my kids in a long time. I understand that and I know we deal with a lot of these things and and the problem is is that our The problem is is that our hands are kind of tied when it comes to like civil papers like this and and civil matters, right? >> we protect the kids? So we can go in there and we can check their well-being and make sure they're okay and everything. If we don't see anything that's like wrong with them or if they're being, you know, we can we can ask them and check on them, are you guys okay? Whatever. And they're like, "Yeah, we're fine. We're totally fine." Okay. Then it that just that, you know, our kind of thing is kind of just you know, oh, they're okay. Like, it's not we can't just keep pressing for stuff that's not there, right? >> Sure. So, like, that's my uttermost concern. >> I understand that. I understand that. And the state of Utah takes kids uh kid abuse and stuff like that really seriously. Okay. So, the the thing that you need to do right now is you need to go to the courts and you need to request like you need to have the courts request him to come to the court and you guys need to figure out a custody exchange or what's going on. If you're saying what's happening that he that it is your time, that he's kidnapping the kids and everything like that, you can tell that to the courts and then the courts can issue whatever they can say, "Yep, you're not allowed to have the kids. Give them back." And they can take the kids from him, give them to you, and all that stuff. But tonight we're not taking them away from him. We're not going to forcefully give them to you. We're not going to do all that stuff. >> that. Please hand Melanie a trespassing citation. She refuses to sign, claiming she's the true victim. This mirrors the $12 million lawsuit Brandon later won after Melanie's lawyers published a defamatory press release painting him as an addict and criminal. Brandon fought not just for his kids, but for his name. Melanie, we made a mistake and didn't catch on until afterwards. Okay. Um your criminal trespass is enhanced to domestic violence. How does that work? Uh because you were in a domestic relationship, uh you had, you know, in-laws there. You trespassed. You entered the garage unlawfully. So, we're actually going to be taking you into custody tonight. Okay. So, I'm just going to need you to go ahead and stand up, face away from me, place your hands behind your back. All right. Let's go ahead and have a seat in there. Put your seat belt on. Okay. Confirm your Never been in a cop car before. Well, apologize that it's got to be like this, but we'll make it as painless as possible. Do you want me to go let Uncle Mel? It doesn't matter. Or do you want to do it when we pull up over there? All right. I'm not supposed to pull up over there cuz I'm not in the city area now, so Okay. Do you want me to go over there, then? We can go over there real quick and just Mr. Cox? >> Yeah. I'm going to leave this with you. Melanie's going to be going to the Utah County Jail tonight. Okay. So, she wanted to leave that with you. All right. I'm sure she'll reach out to you as soon as she's able to, okay? So, where would I bail her out at? Yeah, I You're going to be able to bail her out uh and it doesn't take very long to process her. Okay. But, she's going to be at the Utah County Jail. She has phone calls there, so I can ask her for a emergency contact and we can give her your information. I don't know if she I don't know if she has my number >> Uh not not in her phone. Does she have it in her phone? Yeah, it's in her phone. Oh, yeah. We're taking her phone with her so that way she can have all the numbers and stuff like that, but unfortunately, our hands are tied with the law and stuff like that and that this is just what's got to happen. So, okay? Yeah. All right, sir. >> questions, concerns for us? Uh how much is bail going to be on that? I don't know. >> Any idea? Not yet. She Yeah, she when she gives you a call, she'll know the bail amount so she can tell you. But, okay? All right. Thanks, guys. According to court documents, Cox, who was with Polaski during the police interaction, posted her bail five days later. On December 4th, 2020, Palowski was sentenced to jail for 180 days, but it was suspended since she pleaded no contest to the charge. Police upgraded her citation to domestic violence trespass. What began as a mother demanding her kids ends with cuffs, a squad car, and a booking photo. When custody battles turn into crime scenes, no one truly wins, least of all the children, but stories like this deserve to be seen and questioned. If you found this breakdown eye-opening, make sure to hit that like button, subscribe for more, and drop your thoughts in the [music] comments below. Because in cases like this, every perspective matters.